In recent months I read in a Sydney newspaper that a young woman in Strathfield has been taken into custody for questioning over the brutal killing of her sister.
This horrific situation has echoes of another crime shared by Kent Whitaker in his recently released book Murder by Family.
The book is subtitled "The Incredible True Story of a Son's Treachery and a Father's Forgiveness'.
In the introduction the reader is drawn into a description of the story of David and Absalom in which King David's darkest hour was upon hearing of his son Absalom's death. Absalom had killed his brother, plotted to take David's throne, and raised an army whose main goal was to kill David in battle. Yet David forgave his son and wept bitter tears on hearing news of his death.
The parable of Jesus in which the foolish young man who rejected and abandoned his father is also mentioned, drawing the reader directly to the crux of these stories in the Bible which demonstrate to us the unconditional love and forgiveness God has towards his wayward children. They illustrate how God waits for us to return to our senses and turn to Him.
Kent Whitaker draws a parallel in the telling of this story with a family whose life was torn apart by its own Absalom. This true story tells of a dad who came to recognise an unthinkable reality of his son's guilt, yet his refusal to abandon him. Instead he offered grace and forgiveness as Jesus does, to all who hurt us.
This remarkable first person account of love and gut wrenching family betrayal puts this father's faith to the ultimate test. Murder by Family is a father's anguished story of his search to save his son, and his son's long journey from a secret and dark past towards a reconnection with God. As one reviewer commented, "His gut wrenching moral dilemma will have you asking: "What would I do?'"
This powerful story launches directly into the events which unfolded on the evening of December 10, 2003. The reader is taken, in an instant, into the harrowing events which began on that evening. Whitaker's style is not sensationalist and the prose is free flowing and lucid. Repentance and forgiveness are the themes constantly intertwined in the account, subtly, yet clearly stated.
Whitaker gives the visually sharp account of that shocking night. The family, Kent and Tricia and two sons, Bart and Kevin are returning home from a dinner celebrating Kevin's impending college graduation. On opening the door a gunman is lying in wait and four shots ring out. The first two kill Kevin and Tricia, and the next two wound Kent and younger son Bart. The police and ambulance arrive and take the two to hospital where Kent resolves in his heart to forgive whoever was responsible.
In the first chapter we share in Kent's grief and shock, as at age 55 half of his family is wiped out in an instant. He writes as he wrestles:
"So here I was, in the middle of a horrific situation in which I had to choose to go with my feelings and slip into bitterness and despair, or" stand on God's promises even when they don't make sense" .I wrestled with this for a long time"
Finally I chose to stand on the promises of God. It was the most important decision I've made. When I resolved to trust God I felt a peace come over me that had nothing to do with the morphine drip."
His decision was not reached lightly and he shares how he realised that God was giving him the opportunity and ability to forgive the shooter. But he asked himself if he really wanted to forgive, even if God was giving him the supernatural ability to do so. His hard won conclusion is underscored carefully in these words:
"I have even heard secular health professionals say that forgiveness is the most important thing people can do to heal themselves."
Then three days later as investigations begin, younger son Bart is discovered to have been leading a double life, and he becomes chief suspect. Kent thinks the investigators' focus is wrong but when Bart disappears into the mountains seven months later Kent must face the possibility that his son was involved in orchestrating the murder.
Bart is finally arrested and charged with masterminded the shootings, convicted and sentenced to death in March 2007. After the trial Kent emerged from this harrowing ordeal to share their astonishing journey towards redemption and reconnection with God.
This story of redemption and forgiveness is undeniably a heart wrenching work which the author says he fought "like a wild cat to keep from writing" however, he also states that "the story is less about a terrible tragedy, and more about how God can take care of all things (even murder) and work them for good" and as we share in his experience of pain and deep anguish we are aware that as Kent states "God works through life's deepest tragedies".
Kent has the rare ability to clearly express his account of this journey without resorting to sensationalism or offering trite platitudes.
